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Prince Harry has been withdrawn from Afghanistan because of the media's disclosure of his deployment there, the British Ministry of Defense said Friday.

The prince had been deployed to Afghanistan since December. Major news outlets agreed to keep the information secret for security reasons, but a Web site broke the news blackout Thursday, prompting the British military to withdraw the prince for security reasons.

"This decision has been taken primarily on the basis that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry in Afghanistan could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement issued Friday.

The ministry termed "regrettable" the decision of "elements of the foreign media" to reveal Prince Harry's service in Afghanistan.

"Whilst it had been intended that Prince Harry should return in a matter of weeks with the remainder of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battlegroup," the ministry said, "the situation has now clearly changed."Watch Prince Harry head home Read full article »